The more we surrender, the more we are granted.

Another Month Done

It’s amazing how the pages on the calendar keep flying by. I am due to move flats here in Cuenca tomorrow and just realized another month has passed since I last posted anything here. So I felt like offering a brief update, covering the month in a couple of broad strokes. My morning writing regimen carried along strongly for the first half of the month and I am making progress on this curious project of mine. Around mid-May, I had the pleasure of welcoming a friend to stay with me and my routines began shifting somewhat.

Many of my routines carry on; I continue to study Spanish slowly, attending formal class once a week; I continue to guide weekly meditations; and I enjoy sharing excerpts of my writing with my weekly writing group, grateful to walk away each time with a stronger piece of work. Also, I continue to keep up with my playoff basketball on many evenings. 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed the Toronto Raptors’ deep playoff run! That was a lot of fun.

I like the balance of getting a lot of work done in the mornings and feeling free to relax more in the evenings, dabbling in casual entertainment and good company. I am blessed with plenty of both around here and feel fortunate to be so well-provided for in life.

Last night, my friend, Sol, and I went downtown with some friends from my writing group to enjoy a dinner out and the excitement in the town square. Corpus Christi festival was winding down after a busy long-weekend and the city was alive with action. The streets were lined with various sweets sold in stands and as the sky grew dark, elaborate fireworks displays were set off in the main plaza. Several bamboo towers were outfitted with bright colours, spinning wheels and other bells and whistles, each setting off explosions in sequence (though not too rigidly sequenced), squealing alongside bands blowing their horns. Cuenca seems keen on celebrating anything with festivals in the streets.

The night before, after my friend, Sol, hosted a great singing workshop in town, we hosted our friends Zach and Kristen for a night of dinner and music. I love jamming with friends here, sharing our own songs and covering others, learning together, banging a drum or blowing a harmonica alongside our guitars and Venezuelan cuatro.

Last week, we joined a Sunday drum circle, which was great fun. About a dozen of us met in a big park and one guy brought a great variety of djembes, hand-drums and other percussive toys, opening the floor to any and all to join in. Many folks stopped to watch and some even joined in, staying for a while or soon wandering on. It was a great afternoon.

These sorts of opportunities to connect with folks in easy ways seem so plentiful here in Cuenca. I love so much about the life here, and can easily imagine returning in the future to spend more time enjoying the simple joys that seem so available here.

I only have one more full month here for now, though, that being June. I am moving from my great flat on the outskirts of town to a more central place tomorrow and will then make my way north for the flight home from Bogota.

As ever, here is a little taste of life in a photo mosaic. 🙂

Massive Cathedral door.

All on a turtle’s back…

Great wings.

Stairway.

This is a great one.

Drumming.

Salute life!

Nietzsche?

Town life.

Keep enjoying life as best you can and being gentle with all you meet!